Orlando attorney John Morgan said he was approached by investors seeking to purchase the Tampa Bay Rays and keep them in West Florida but turned them down because the region "did not compare with Orange County" for Major League Baseball.
Instead, Morgan, founder of the Morgan & Morgan law firm, made a $250 million commitment to a group trying to lure the Rays or another team to Orlando.
Morgan's comment comes after the Rays announced they were in exclusive sales negotiations with a group that included unnamed Tampa-area investors and led by Jacksonville billionaire Patrick Zalupski.
According to a report, a letter of intent to purchase has been signed, and a pair of county commissioners said Zalupski's intention is to build a ballpark in the Bay area.
Morgan's organization, the Orlando Dreamers, made no secret it was interested in buying the Rays and moving them to a new stadium near SeaWorld. With that move off the table, the group is prepared to seek other options.
"This does not complicate our mission, nor does it change our plans for aggressively moving forward to the next phase of our initiative," Dreamers ambassador Barry Larkin, a baseball Hall of Famer, said in a statement.
The group boasts $1.5 billion in financial commitments from partners, led by Heartland Dental founder Dr. Rick Workman and Morgan. It also claims to have a letter of intent from a major institutional partner for $1 billion toward stadium construction.
The Rays have been trying to secure a new stadium for years, and their lease at St. Petersburg's Tropicana Field ends in 2028. Throughout several failed public-private stadium plans, baseball commissioner Rob Manfred has remained committed to the Tampa market.
In the statement, Morgan said the Tampa Bay area was not the best location, which is why he had "no interest in making a financial commitment if the team was going to remain there." Instead, he committed a reported $250 million toward the Dreamers' effort.
"For Major League Baseball, the Tampa area does not compare with Orange County," he continued. "Central Florida is growing faster than Tampa-St. Pete, which is limited by elevation, water and other challenges, especially when it comes to finding the right location for a large sports venue. In comparison, Orlando continues rapidly expanding in every direction."
ALSO READ: Orlando Dreamers' "anchor investor" is dental chain founder Dr. Rick Workman
Morgan said Orlando's global tourism industry gives Central Florida an advantage, much like Las Vegas, which recently acquired NFL and NHL teams and is building a stadium for MLB's Athletics, who left Oakland and are playing in Sacramento for the time being.
"Tourism matters," he said. "… And Orange County will get about double the number of tourists this year as Las Vegas will welcome."
Should the Rays complete the sale, Dreamers co-founder Jim Schnorf said his group was prepared to take its quest in other directions, although having the Rays playing a mere 90 miles away would remain a huge obstacle for MLB approval.
"There are multiple other MLB teams that also have stadium challenges, in addition to two expansion slots that will be added," he said, noting there is still nothing certain about the Rays' future.
"We believe it is unlikely that a sale of the Rays can consummate without an affirmative stadium site and stadium financing solution in place, steps which are very challenging and time consuming, but that we are fortunate to have under control.
"Regardless of the circumstances with the Rays and their discussions with any prospective buyer group, the Dreamers are continuing to move forward in concluding the final aspects of our initiative."
Two weeks ago, Orlando County Mayor Jerry Demings put the brakes on any Orlando baseball suitor. He said he has heard from "more than one" group, but none were "prepared" and more conversations were needed.
News of the Rays sale negotiations gives them time.
Copyright 2025 WUSF 89.7